It's obvious to me that Microsoft has concluded that it cannot hold its market using the same tactics it has always. Windows Vista is a sad tale - something like putting fresh lipstick on an old, tired whore. Worse, it consumed five years of development and is selling as well as old, mouldy bread.

What Microsoft would like to see happen is the sale of a Linux distribution which it can control - from outside. Novell fits the bill perfectly. If it can make a little money off the sale of that distribution, that would be just perfect.

When I talk of control, I mean not only in terms of sales - Microsoft would also like to have a few hooks into the system, using "interoperability" as a cover. That's why we saw no mention of Mono in the agreements which Novell released. Is it believable that a project like Mono would not be mentioned in a deal between Microsoft and Novell?

Some years back I interviewed Robert Cringley, who's probably the grand-daddy of all tech journalists. I put it to him that some people were of the opinion that all the innovation in the tech industry had been killed by Microsoft and asked him for his take on this.

He replied: "Microsoft is about money, not innovation. They aren't opposed to innovation and like to be seen as innovators, but what really matters to them as a company is the money. Think of it that way and a lot of what they do starts to make sense. When I give speeches (and why haven't I been asked to speak lately in Oz?) I like to pull out a $US20 note and point out that there is something about that note that bothers Bill Gates - that it is in my pocket. Microsoft really does want all the money and I'm not sure they won't get it."

{moscomment}